


100 Themes Challenge #8 - Rainbow

by Yunimori



Series: 100 Themes Challenge [8]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: 100 Themes Challenge, Change for the Better, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Gen, Hope, Rainbow, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 06:57:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21175304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yunimori/pseuds/Yunimori
Summary: 100 Themes Writing Challenge.Please read tags for possible issues. 100 Themes Challenge drabbles may not have a proper summary.Perhaps things were finally starting to look up.





	100 Themes Challenge #8 - Rainbow

**Author's Note:**

> I'm copying all of my Shockwave and Optimus/Shockwave ficlets and drabbles from my tumblr accounts over to my ao3 account. Most of these are going to be incredibly short (hence the drabble tag), and either in short-form format or 100 Themes Challenge format.
> 
> This is just for my own peace of mind, making sure they are safe from tumblr's random purges.
> 
> However, feel free to read them and let me know if you enjoyed them!

He was glad to see that they had recovered enough to have paint again. 

Perhaps that was foolish, because paint – whether for one’s armour or for walls – was hardly near the top of _anyone’s_ list of things that were necessary, but it was for exactly that reason that Shockwave was glad to see it. Paint was not a necessity. Yet, here it was, a veritable rainbow of colours lining the shelves of Bolt’s little store, nestled along the back wall, behind food and drink and other small necessities that took up so much of the tiny storefront. 

“You always did like colour, didn’t ye, lad.”

  
Shockwave looked up, a bit startled and _more_ than a bit sheepish at having been caught looking, only to be met by a vaguely amused smile. Bolt hadn’t changed a bit. He was older now, missing an eye, but the former barista-turned-store-owner was still…basically the same. Still treating Shockwave like a young one that needed reassurance and a kind word to go with his overly-sweet coffee. It was a little refreshing, really, with so many bots who still hated Shockwave’s very existence after the things he had done while…not himself. “You…remember that?”  
  
“Aye, of course. Hard tae forget when I saw ye nearly ever’day, and always with a different colour somewheres.” Bolt laughed softly, more at the embarrassed look on Shockwave’s face than the memory of a young bot who couldn’t decide on a colour-scheme. “But that’s alright, lad. Nothing wrong with liking colour. It brought a bit’o light in with ye.” The old bot nodded at the paint cans. “Those innit so good for armour, but I reckon walls work just as well sometimes. Ye lookin’?”  
  
Shockwave turned back to the shelf, studying the little swatches of colour on the outside, telling what bright and cheerful things the silvery little cans held within. “…._just_ looking, I suppose. I…I don’t know if I would be allowed to paint anything.”  
  
“And why not?” Bolt reached out, picking up a can of bright lilac paint – a colour he remembered Shockwave sporting more than once. “Do ye not have a say in your own living? The rest o’ us do that live in the towers.”  
  
“I don’t live in the towers, Bolt.” Shockwave kept his voice quiet, not looking at the old shopkeep. “I live in the Ark now, and I…don’t know what they’ll allow me to do. I’m technically on probation, after all, and…and not even P–Optimus can really override things if I get in trouble. Not without it being a pain.”  
  
Bolt snorted, reaching out to take Shockwave’s hand in his, dropping the can of paint into it. “Bah. Dull grey walls need a little livenin’, Ark or no. And if you have your own livin’ space in there, it’s _yours_, lad, an’ even with ye bein’ on probation, if yer probation officer takes offense to ye havin’ a little light, they can just come talk tae _me_. I’ll set ‘em straight. The Prime won’t have tae lift a finger tae defend ye. ” He stared at the younger bot that looked up at him, saddened by how _startled_ Shockwave seemed by the offer of kindness. “No one deserves tae live in grey, lad…I don’t care what’s been done. We’ve been through enough wi’out makin’ our lives dull an’ colourless _now_. Much less a lad like ye, who always brought light _with_ ye wherever ye went.” He pressed his hand over the can of paint now in Shockwave’s hand, keeping the younger bot from putting it back on the shelf. “…that one’s a gift, Shockwave. If ye want more, ye can buy, but take that one as a gift from me. Ye deserve yer colours, lad, same as the rest o’us.” 

Shockwave didn’t look up for a long moment, though he slowly moved his hand away from Bolt’s, shifting the paint can to give himself a better grip on it…instead of replacing it on the shelf. When he finally did look up, his eyes were just slightly too bright behind his glasses, though he offered the old shopkeep a wavery smile. “…are you sure?”

Bolt nodded, his own smile as bright as it ever was. “Aye. Wouldn’t have given it if I wasn’t.”  
  
Shockwave took a deep breath, wanting desperately to believe that Bolt was being kind just for the sake of being kind. No ulterior motive. Not doing it to laugh at him or get him in trouble later. …so he put the paint in his basket, alongside the camfruit and windrye bread he had come to get originally. Then, and only then, did he dare look Bolt in the eye. “You gave me lilac. I’m…I’m going to buy six other colours. …I’m…going to paint a rainbow on my living room wall.” 

He was startled by the laughter that erupted from Bolt, equally startled by the strong hand that clapped his shoulder, _approval_ shining out of the old shopkeep’s every movement. “_Good_, lad! Paint yer rainbow; send me a picture and I’ll put it on my shop wall. Maybe others will take note. We need more light, more life, lad. Ye always were good at givin’ that…so t’will be good tae see it comin’ from ye again.” His one eye sparkled as he looked down at the younger bot, watching a faint, hopeful little smile start overtaking the boy’s face. “Now show me which colours ye want and we’ll go get everything rung up, so ye can start yer new project.”


End file.
